Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the last step toward the 4th generation (4G) of radio technologies designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks and provides for an end-to-end Internet Protocol (IP) service delivery of media. Currently, LTE comprises a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), which is described in a suite of Technical Specifications (TS) developed within and published by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), with the most recent version of the 3GPP TSs being published in September 2009 as “Release 9” (with Release 10 currently being developed).
LTE, in part, provides for a flat IP-based network architecture designed to ensure support for, and mobility between, some legacy or non-3GPP systems such as, for instance, GPRS (general packet radio service) and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). Some of the main advantages with LTE are high throughput, low latency, plug and play, FDD (frequency-division duplexing) and TDD (time-division duplexing) in the same platform, improved end user experience, simple architecture resulting in low operating costs, and interoperability with older standard wireless technologies such as GSM, cdmaOne, W-CDMA (UMTS), and CDMA2000.
Most major carriers in the United States (US) and several worldwide carriers have announced plans to convert their networks to LTE beginning in 2009. In addition, public safety agencies (and US Intelligence Services) in the US have endorsed LTE as the preferred technology for the new 700 MHz public safety radio band. However, due to budget constraints, sharing of LTE networks is anticipated; even sharing of these networks by public safety agencies. Thus, as the number of users for particular LTE networks increases, this may present a problem of “communication resource” (i.e., bearer) allocation for user equipment (UE) for emergency responders that arrive at an incident (e.g., emergency) scene. This is because, at present, LTE only supports resource allocation based on the UE's IP address, which is translated by the LTE system to the UE's current cell of a radio access network (RAN). Thus, LTE currently only supports requests for a bearer at a cell that is currently serving the UE and to which the UE is currently connected. LTE does not currently provide for pre-allocation of cell resources before the UE connects to the cell.
There are some known “just-in-time” resource setup mechanisms that attempt to expedite the resource allocation process. However, since these mechanisms can only be used when the UE is in the cell, if the cell is busy, these mechanisms may fail or suffer significant delay. Thus, the so called “just-in-time” mechanisms do not provide the reliability needed in mission critical scenarios, wherein delays in communications between responders are unacceptable.
Thus, there exists a need for pre-allocating, for a set of user equipment, a bearer within a set of cells in a radio access network, wherein the bearer is established prior to at least one user equipment in the set of user equipment connecting to the cells.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments. In addition, the description and drawings do not necessarily require the order illustrated. It will be further appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.
Apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the various embodiments so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Thus, it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments.